Creation Of Man

After Coyote had completed making the world, he began to think about
creating man. He called a council of all the animals. The animals sat in
a circle, just as the Indians do, with Lion at the head, in an open
space in the forest. On Lion's right was Grizzly Bear; next Cinnamon
Bear; and so on to Mouse, who sat at Lion's left.

Lion spoke first. Lion said he wished man to have a terrible voice, like
himself, so that he could frighten all animals. He wanted man also to be
well covered with hair, with fangs in his claws, and very strong teeth.

Grizzly Bear laughed. He said it was ridiculous for any one to have such
a voice as Lion, because when he roared he frightened away the very prey
for which he was searching. But he said man should have very great
strength; that he should move silently, but very swiftly; and he should
be able to seize his prey without noise.

Buck said man would look foolish without antlers. And a terrible voice
was absurd, but man should have ears like a spider's web, and eyes like
fire.

Mountain Sheep said the branching antlers would bother man if he got
caught in a thicket. If man had horns rolled up, so that they were like
a stone on each side of his head, it would give his head weight enough
to butt very hard.

When it came Coyote's turn, he said the other animals were foolish
because they each wanted man to be just like themselves. Coyote was sure
he could make a man who would look better than Coyote himself, or any
other animal. Of course he would have to have four legs, with five
fingers. Man should have a strong voice, but he need not roar all the
time with it. And he should have feet nearly like Grizzly Bear's,
because he could then stand erect when he needed to. Grizzly Bear had no
tail, and man should not have any. The eyes and ears of Buck were good,
and perhaps man should have those. Then there was Fish, which had no
hair, and hair was a burden much of the year. So Coyote thought man
should not wear fur. And his claws should be as long as the Eagle's, so
that he could hold things in them. But no animal was as cunning and
crafty as Coyote, so man should have the wit of Coyote.

Then Beaver talked. Beaver said man would have to have a tail, but it
should be broad and flat, so he could haul mud and sand on it. Not a
furry tail, because they were troublesome on account of fleas.

Owl said man would be useless without wings.

But Mole said wings would be folly. Man would be sure to bump against
the sky. Besides, if he had wings and eyes both, he would get his eyes
burned out by flying too near the sun. But without eyes, he could burrow
in the soft, cool earth where he could be happy.

Mouse said man needed eyes so he could see what he was eating. And
nobody wanted to burrow in the damp earth. So the council broke up in a
quarrel.

Then every animal set to work to make a man according to his own ideas.
Each one took a lump of earth and modelled it just like himself. All but
Coyote, for Coyote began to make the kind of man he had talked of in the
council.

It was late when the animals stopped work and fell asleep. All but
Coyote, for Coyote was the cunningest of all the animals, and he stayed
awake until he had finished his model. He worked hard all night. When
the other animals were fast asleep he threw water on the lumps of earth,
and so spoiled the models of the other animals. But in the morning he
finished his own, and gave it life long before the others could finish
theirs. Thus man was made by Coyote.